Hold your horses!

Saturday

GARDNER City officials have let residents know the new skate park at Jackson Playground is almost ready, but are urging people to stay away for now as trespassing has been an issue.

GARDNER City officials have let residents know the new skate park at Jackson Playground is almost ready, but are urging people to stay away for now as trespassing has been an issue.

“This isn’t months away, this is days away,” Community Development and Planning Assistant Director Joshua Cormier said of the park’s opening. “My goal is to get people in by next weekend.”

After summertime construction by contractor Spohn Ranch, a Los Angeles-based skate park design and construction firm, Cormier said the project is “for all intents and purposes done from a construction standpoint.”

Jackson Playground is located on Cross Street and already includes other attractions such as playground equipment, a basketball court and baseball field.Creating the skate park has been a goal of interested residents and city staff for many years now. It has been constructed behind the outfield fence of the baseball field at Jackson Playground. It includes features such as a bowl, grind rail and quarter pipe for skaters to ride and perform tricks on, but is not meant for bikers.

But before skaters are given the go-ahead to use it, what is being waited on is for the concrete to cure in order to make sure it remains strong and durable over time.Cormier indicated that when that process is determined to be over will depend on factors such as the weather, and a decision will be made in consultation with Spohn Ranch.

While the city has posted a “no trespassing” sign to discourage activity, there have been incidents of skaters prematurely using the park.

“Unfortunately, what has happened is people are excited about the park and they’re down there trying to get a run in … it’s just affecting the maturation of the park,” Cormier said.

“Their vandalism … it’s more along the lines they want to get out there,” he added, noting over the course of construction, equipment was left outside and went untouched.

On Monday, July 31, City Hall staff posted a notice on the city’s website updating residents on the skate park’s status. The message also stated that “over the weekend some of the concrete was defaced.”

When asked what that exactly meant, Cormier declined to specifically state, but did say “somebody went down and did something to the park that’s been fixed.”He went on to describe the incident as involving “somebody doing something to the concrete before it was dried completely.”

When asked if the city considered putting up a fence around the area to keep out trespassers, Cormier indicated that was discussed with Spohn Ranch but ultimately the decision was to not do that.

“That temporary fence wouldn’t have stopped them,” Cormier said, adding that the company, citing their experience, indicated fences can cause more of an attraction.As for the construction timeline, Spohn Ranch began its work in late May and the initial hope was for it to be done by the end of June or mid-July.

However, Cormier explained a stretch of rainy weather in the spring and drainage problems at the site pushed the project back three or four weeks.

He said a drainage solution has been implemented, with new additional drains being installed and piping that connects with the existing culvert underneath the baseball field.

The overall playground is located in a low-lying area, as from the adjacent School Street a steep hill declines into the skate park and baseball field.

Considering the additional draining that was installed and additional labor and materials needed, Cormier explained it added some cost.

Last October, Spohn Ranch submitted the low bid for the project at $230,000, according to the city’s Purchasing Department. Cormier said the total project cost is now $270,875.

He indicated the city is paying for the project entirely through available Community Development Block Grant funds, which is a federally funded and state-administered program the city participates in every year.

Cormier was complimentary of the construction and design work of Spohn Ranch and the working relationship its staff has had with the city.

The city has asked residents to stay away from the skate park and work site for their safety, and to notify the Gardner Police if they see any trespassing. The Police Department’s phone number is 978-632-5600.

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